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Yes. Volunteer firefighters who are often exposed to PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam may be eligible to file a claim for AFFF if they are later diagnosed with a qualifying cancer.
Eligibility is generally based on the nature of the exposure and the medical diagnosis, not whether the firefighter was paid or served as a volunteer.
Many volunteer departments maintained Class B firefighting foam for incidents involving flammable liquids, and volunteer firefighters may have encountered AFFF while responding to:
Many volunteer firefighters also handled AFFF during live-fire training exercises, foam application drills, and equipment testing, which often represented more frequent exposure than actual emergency responses. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has concluded that there is sufficient evidence of an association between PFAS exposure and kidney cancer and suggestive evidence for testicular cancer, findings that have directly informed public health guidance for people with elevated PFAS exposure.
Potential claims are evaluated based on how often AFFF was handled, how many years exposure continued, whether contact occurred during emergency responses or training, and whether a qualifying cancer was later diagnosed. Records that can help document volunteer exposure include department membership records, fire training certificates, incident reports, mutual-aid records, equipment inventories showing the department used AFFF, and statements from fellow firefighters or department officers.
If you served as a volunteer firefighter, handled AFFF during training or emergency response, and have since been diagnosed with kidney cancer, testicular cancer, or another qualifying condition, contact ELG Law for a free case evaluation.